Are you giving it up for Jesus? In His Word 5-29-23
No one has
greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. John 15:13
CJB
Jesus said
this, then went on to talk about things that needed to be done. He explained
that He would be giving up his life for them, and for us. Today as I read this
scripture I had the thought, ‘What am I doing to lay down my life?” Surely
Jesus did not mean we all had to die for one another, but what is it that we
are giving up for those we love?
I find it
interesting that He says this just after giving them the instructions to love
one another that our joy may be full(vs 11) and then to command us that we keep
on loving each other just as He loved us! (v12)
So it is no surprise
that Jesus stepped right into what the best love is. So how can we lay down our
lives for our friends?
-
Give
of your time.
-
Choose
them over your needs.
-
Encourage
them when you feel like you need encouragement.
-
Pray
for them, even when you feel like you cannot pray for your own needs.
Sure, you
can also give up something for them physically, food, clothing etc., but tangible
items are one thing when you give out of your own needs an desires to help them
achieve their needs and desires that is a true loving friendship.
Jesus
continues in this chapter to talk about how He no longer considered them
servants but friends. As friends He gave them the commission to go and bear
fruit that would last. When we do this it will help us to keep our hearts right
with God so that when we ask anything in Jesus’ name it will be done.
So, we can probably
take also that we’re not just supposed to be servants for our friends, and if
you want to get deep After all Jesus told each of His disciples to basically do
what He told Peter, leave yoru nets and follow Him. Is that basically what He wants from? To give up being selfish, or self-centered living
and to think of those whom He loves as before us.
How can we do that? Do we all need to become Evangelists, or preachers or mission workers who just leave it all behind?
It may
surprise you that I do not think so. I think we can complete the great commission of going unto
all the world and speak the Gospel through other avenues. Your life, and my
life, may not have worked out in a way that we can jump on the next boat, or
plane and go move to another country to help tell the world that Jesus Loves
them.
Still later
he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked
them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had
seen him after he had been raised from the dead. And then he told them, “Go
into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. 16 Anyone who believes
and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be
condemned. Mark 16:14-16
If you believe that Jesus died and rose again in order to clear out all your sins, and to open the gates of Heaven and lock the gates of hell then you have no doubt a story to tell about what made you believe? All we really need to do is share what we believe, why we believe, and when we first believed in order to share the story of how Jesus touched our lives. When we do that we open up a thought process in someone’s mind. In that we can plant the seeds of faith. It sounds so simple doesn’t it?
It really
is. To show love for God, Jesus, you
share that love with other believers, and others who would become believers with
the prodding of the Holy Spirit that is with you from the moment you believed.
Okay, from
there, they need to read their Bible to find the Truth for themselves.
Years ago I
used to offer up a New Testament to people, mostly kids but some adults too. I
would give them what was usually a Gideons New Testament that I actually had received
from the Gideon’s people. I told them if they read it all the way through I
would buy them a whole Bible. You know,
when I first suggested that I did not expect the kids to do it, but they did! One
of the girls even took her Bible to school and got told she could not share it
in class. I had to giggle a bit cause what boldness! I suggested that she read it on the playground
outside. Later I found that she had a little circle Bible reading group going
on her playground and she started asking me for more Bibles! She was giving
them away too!
I was so
amazed that I gave them to her! She was a great example of a true Christian! I
always smile when I think of Nicole, if she’s out there someplace reading this
I hope she smiles too and has a joyful heart and a happy life!
This is how
we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to
lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.1 John 3:16
In His love,
Teresa M.
Wilson